


Weird...

by thinkpink



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, JuLance Challenge 2018, M/M, Mpreg, Pack Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 14:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15221501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinkpink/pseuds/thinkpink
Summary: Lance has been acting odd, and it's up to his Alpha Keith to figure it out.





	Weird...

**Author's Note:**

> 3rd JuLance submission! Same weird AU timeline I use for all my ABO fics, but not connected to my other ones.
> 
> Come say hi on my Tumblr, I love chatting with you guys :) thinkpinkwrites.tumblr.com

Lance had been acting kind of weird.

Which was saying a lot because Lance was kind of a weird dude to begin with. Keith had gotten used to it, after almost a year of sharing a bedroom and a life. But he still managed to do just _slightly odd_ things that threw him off.

He was crazy organized, but in a way that only made sense to him. Keith had realized this the first time he’d showered in Lance’s bathroom. He’d eyed the collection of jars and bottles, different soaps and hair masques that Lance insisted were all important. He’d been sifting through, trying to find a container of soap – basic ass, normal soap – when he caught on to the fact that everything was grouped together purposefully. 

The corner shower caddy had four shelves and each one over flowed with products, but only now was Keith realizing that each shelf had a theme. Face care, body washes and scrubs, shampoo and conditioners and finally, an entire shelf meant for depilatory items. 

Come to think of it, Keith had never noticed a strand of body hair on the slim, tanned Blue Paladin. He’d thought it was natural, an Omega thing? Apparently not. 

His room was also very organized, if not always neat. Lance kept his closet color-coordinated, with each color subdivided by type of clothes – jackets, then jeans, then shirts. New color – repeat. 

Keith had to grant him, it made it very easy to find things, and Lance had a _lot_ of clothes. He seemed to acquire something new on every planet they went to.

Probably the weirdest thing he’d noticed about Lance was the way he scent-marked random things around the castle.

As the only Omega, it was unnecessary, he didn’t have anyone to compete with in that realm of his life. But for whatever reason, Lance would occasionally – furtively – rub his neck or wrists against things like the couches in the lounge, or Hunk’s shoulder while he cooked dinner. Once he’d caught Lance, sweaty post workout, lean very calculatedly against the Blue Lion’s large metal paw. 

He’d blushed when he noticed Keith watching but merely shrugged and walked away.

It was actually pretty cute, Keith could admit.

It got really bad around Lance’s heats, of which Keith had only seen twice, but during those times he’d been shameless, not even trying to pretend that he wasn’t dousing the castle in his scent. 

His first heat he had avoided Lance, trying to give him space, but this most recent one they had been together leading up to it, so Keith had gotten the full show of _Lance in estrus._

It was definitely an experience.

Which was to say nothing of his actual heat.

That had been amazing. 

But it was also three months ago, meaning it would be another three months or so until his next one. So Lance didn’t have heightened hormones to explain his truly odd behavior lately.

Keith hadn’t noticed until they were on a diplomatic mission to a planet called Karta. Voltron had helped to liberate their sister planet Veras the week prior and the Kartian and Veratian people had insisted on the Paladins returning for a celebration, and for Allura to assist in creating a trade agreement to benefit the coalition. 

Lance had been ecstatic, the chance at relaxing on a peaceful planet with no responsibilities for a few days making him extra boisterous and enthusiastic. 

But the day of the actual celebration Lance had woken up feeling kind of off, his stomach hurting. He’s shrugged away Keith’s concern and after a shower by himself – that in itself was odd – he’d insisted he felt fine. 

He was kind of quiet and standoffish for the rest of the day, even to the Kartians who were beautiful and friendly – Lance’s favorite type of people.

It all came to a head when they had been standing as a team, chatting with a group of local politicians. One of them had been flirting with each Paladin in a fairly harmless way, they’d actually reminded Keith a bit of Lance in that regard, and when they’d laid a hand on Keith’s shoulder to laugh at something he’d said, Lance growled.

Like full on, Alpha type growled.

Shiro had stepped between them smoothly, while Hunk and Keith grabbed Lance’s hands, pulling him away before anything could escalate.

Lance hadn’t even bothered to look contrite, which was the biggest giveaway to Keith that something was up. Lance wasn’t ashamed of his Omega tendencies, but he could recognize when he was being a little more… primal than strictly normal.

After that incident, Keith became much more aware of Lance’s recent abnormalities. 

He woke up in the middle of the night more than a few times to find Lance up and awake and the shower running. Midnight showers were definitely unusual, but Keith wasn’t about to start pointing anything out to the cagey Omega.

Lance started skipping meals, but then Keith would find him snacking on not-quite-chips in the training locker room. 

One time he casually strolled onto the bridge wearing Pidge’s sweatshirt and when the Green Paladin had questioned him – totally friendly – Lance’s eyes had filled with tears, his hands clutching the front as if worried he’d be forced to take it off. 

Pidge had quickly assured him she didn’t mind, Lance could keep it as long as he wanted, and Lance’s eyes had dried up instantly, his mouth splitting in a beaming smile before he took his seat. 

Keith and Shiro had exchanged a look across the room, confusion evident.

The next evening Keith walked into the kitchen, looked around to ensure the Blue Paladin was nowhere to be seen, then said what everyone else was thinking.

“Something’s up with Lance.”

Pidge threw her hands up, “Oh my God, thank you!” 

“Dude, is he okay? He’s like… super edgy.” Hunk looked worriedly to everyone before coming back to Keith.

Shiro turned to look at the doorway, confirming Lance wasn’t about to stroll through before looking back to Keith as well.

“I thought you’d know?”

Keith waved vaguely, “I have no idea! I don’t even think Lance knows, he’s like a space cadet lately.”

“Is it his ADHD?” Hunk asked, looking to Coran, their resident stand in physician. 

“He’s taking the medicine I made for him, as far as I know!” 

“Well we need to figure it out before it starts to effect Voltron.” Shiro’s voice was firm and Keith was instantly offended on his partner’s behalf. 

“Lance would never let anything like this effect the team. He flew during his estrus cycle, didn’t he?”

Shiro held up his hands, “Hey, I’m not trying to say anything negative about Lance. We all know he’d do anything for this team. But that’s what concerns me. What if he’s sick or something and he doesn’t want to tell us, in case we worry.”

“You think he might be sick?” Keith’s voice remained steady, not betraying the stab of worry Shiro’s words brought.

“I don’t know… If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was going into heat but it’s way too soon right?”

Keith and Hunk, the most familiar with Lance’s cycle, both nodded. 

“Well, whatever the reason, we need to address this and make sure he’s okay.” Allura chimed in for the first time. “Not only is Lance an essential part of this team, but it’s obvious that everyone’s concern for him will only continue to have an impact.”

Keith found him an hour later, curled up in bed asleep. It was hours to go until their usual bedtime, but Lance was out cold, eyes flickering under the lids in heavy REM sleep. 

Despite this, when Keith sat down on the edge of the bed and began to run his fingers through soft brown hair, his eyelids fluttered open, a soft chirping noise escaping his throat. 

“Oh, did I miss dinner?” He asked, closing his eyes again, leaning into Keith’s petting.

“Yeah, just now,” Keith hesitated, “Sleepy?”

Lance smiled softly and hummed an affirmative noise, “If you could keep doing this forever that would be perfect.”

Keith felt that now familiar tightness in his chest, the spread of warmth he experienced anytime he was confronted with his feelings for Lance. 

“You hungry?” He tried again.

Lance shook his head, “Nah, I’ve been snacking all day.”

Keith furrowed his brow, wondering how he’d missed that. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen much of Lance during the day lately. After morning team trainings, the Blue Paladin would slink away, off to focus on his own projects.

This was definitely a switch from the Lance that always pestered Keith and Shiro to train more, to fight hand to hand, to let him use them for rifle target practice. 

“Lance…” he braced himself. Lance hated it when people implied he was anything less than stellar. “Are you feeling okay?”

Lance huffed and rolled his eyes, “Are _you_ feeling okay? What’s with the interview, I’m just napping.”

Keith pushed through his desire to not upset his Omega and tried again, “You’ve been napping a lot lately. And your stomach has been kind of messed up?”

Lance blushed, discussions of his gastrointestinal activities too intimate. 

Keith continued, “Maybe you have the flu? Or something else weird you picked up in space. Can’t you just get checked out?”

Lance pushed Keith’s hand away and moved back in the bed, bringing the pillow down between them. “I feel fine! I feel better than fine! Yeah, I barfed a couple times but otherwise, I’m totally okay. I don’t have a fever or anything!”

Keith gave him a disbelieving look and leaned across the pillow to touch Lance’s forehead. It was true, his skin felt completely normal, not even a bit clammy.

Lance tilted his head back invitingly, “Smell me, I don’t smell sick or anything, I’m fine!” 

Keith already had trouble stopping himself from scenting Lance at the best of times, so seeing the bronze column of skin of display in such a way had him instantly tipping over, burying his face in Lance’s neck.

He let his mouth fall open and breathed deeply, pulling back to look at Lance questioningly, before leaning down again, pressing his nose straight to the source. Lance was right, he didn’t smell sick. In fact, he smelled amazing. It was almost like his heat scent but in a weird way, completely opposite. Keith felt his muscles relax as he inhaled, while something in the back of his head exploded with excitement. 

It was Lance’s scent but sprinkled with something else.

Keith pulled back again, suspicious, “You smell different.” His voice came out low and husky, and Lance’s eyes widened nervously.

“Uh… I don’t know why? I didn’t… Obviously there’s no one else, Keith! I would never-“

Keith growled, and Lance shut up immediately.

“It’s not that…” He paused, taking in the way Lance was tensed below him, neck now bared less in an invitation and more in a show of submission. His eyes softened, and he tried to relax before saying softly, “Lance, I think you are sick.”

Lance deflated, “Maybe,” he finally admitted. “But I swear I don’t think it’s serious. And it’s only sometimes? And it passes so quickly, I’m sure it’s nothing!”

“Well, we want you to get checked out.” 

“We?” Lance asked, sitting up as Keith gave him room.

“Yeah, I’m not the only one worried about you,” Keith told him gently.

“Oh…” Lance blushed. “Alright, I’ll go.”

Keith stood up and held a hand out to his Omega. “Perfect, let’s go now.”

“Now?” Lance looked alarmed, “It’s late!”

Keith hauled him to his feet, handing him his olive jacket and looking around for his shoes. “It’s not that late.”

Lance looked at him as if he wanted to ask if _Keith_ were the sick one, but he remained quiet, stepping into his shoes when Keith put them in front of him. 

Before they could leave the room however, Lance pulled off his olive jacket and grabbed Keith’s red one from the hook by the door, sliding it over his arms.

He shrugged and blushed and Keith tried to ignore that warm feeling. 

Coran was waiting for them in the med bay, and Keith felt slightly touched at the Altean man’s confidence that Keith would convince Lance to come. 

“Well hello there Blue! How are we feeling today?” He smiled brightly, and Lance did not return it.

“I wish people would stop asking me that,” he muttered lowly, before hopping up onto the examination table. 

“We’ve missed your smiling face at the dinner table!” He turned around and began to fiddle with something on the counter behind him before turning to Keith and saying, “You can go now!” With that same bright smile.

Keith scrunched his face, slightly offended, but Coran continued to smile. Keith looked over to Lance, who gave him a slightly guilty look and said, “I’d kind of rather do this by myself.”

Oh. Okay.

His hurt must have shown on his face because Lance was quick to assure him, “You don’t want to hear me talk about the contents of my vomit, Keith!”

The problem was Keith _did_ want to hear about the contents of Lance’s vomit. He wanted to know about every little aspect of Lance’s life, including his bodily functions. He was worried about his Omega and he wanted to be there in case anything was wrong.

 _Fuck_ when did he turn into such a sap.

He shrugged, pretending like he understood, and told them both, “Okay fine. I’ll be in the lounge, come meet me there when you’re done?”

Lance smiled sweetly, jumping down from the table and walking over to press a soft kiss to Keith’s mouth. “Sure thing babe.”

Keith walked back to the lounge and was not surprised to find everyone there. It was later than they usually congregated together, but everyone’s feelings were heightened from the discussion in the kitchen. Lance was Keith’s Omega, but he was also the pack Omega as well. They all were concerned about him.

Keith sat down with a sigh.

“Did you talk to him?” Pidge asked, face soft with worry.

“He’s in the med bay with Coran right now.” 

There was a collective sigh in the room.

“Good, that’s really good.” Shiro said.

“You didn’t want to stay with him?” Allura asked, surprised.

Keith tried not to show any emotion on his face. “He didn’t want me to.”

He must not have succeeded because Hunk was quick to jump in, “You know how Lance is, he hates to worry anyone!”

Keith nodded, and Pidge pressed her hand to his knee, “Coran will take good care of him!”

A pack of cards was produced from somewhere and they quickly divvied them up, falling into a game of poker. 

Allura had only learned to play recently but had already proven herself to be a master, her poker face absolutely first-rate. Between her and Keith, Pidge and Hunk folded every time, Shiro playing a less calculated game, but still serious.

Keith was just about to up the ante when the sliding doors to the lounge room whooshed open and Lance wandered in.

They all looked up, dropping their cards, as Lance stepped slowly through the room to find an open seat next to Allura. His eyes were wide, and his hands clutched at the front of Keith’s jacket, sliding the zipper up and down nervously.

Coran walked in behind him, expression unreadable, and leaned against the wall by the door. 

They all looked back to Lance, who looked around but didn’t seem to see any of them.

Keith’s stomach was in knots, roiling with anxiety. Lance was dying. He had cancer. Or a space plague. Oh God, Keith was going to have to bury Lance, _this is why he never let himself feel feelings!_

Shiro seemed to recognize Keith’s internal turmoil and broke the silence, “Everything okay, Lance?”

Lance startled, looking around, as if noticing them all for the first time. He turned wide blue eyes to Shiro before nodding softly, saying, “Yeah, everything is okay.”

Keith didn’t trust it. Lance’s voice was so hesitant. His instincts were proven correct when Lance continued talking.

“Actually, uh, no, everything isn’t okay.”

The entire room stilled. Allura looked at Coran, who gave nothing away.

Lance spoke again, “Remember when we were talking about how lucky we are Altean and Human biology is so similar? And how medicine seems to work equally well either way?” 

Lance was talking to the room, but his eyes were on Keith suddenly, who nodded at the words. Keith had been suffering from a raging headache and two small gel capsules from Coran has cleared it up immediately. 

Lance huffed a laugh, and Keith squeezed his hands into a fist. Lance always laughed like that when he was about to say something self-deprecating. “Well, we were wrong.”

The tension in the room was at an all-time high. Allura was clearly holding her breath and Pidge was clutching the front of her sweatshirt, almost a mirror of Lance’s nervous tick.

“Altean birth control does not work on Humans.” 

Hunk gasped, looking from Lance to Keith then back again. Everyone else seemed to scoot to the edge of their seats.

Keith, for his part, was frozen. 

“I’m pregnant.” 

Pidge squealed, the loudest noise Keith had ever heard from her. Allura was smiling, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. 

Lance was staring directly as Keith, who couldn’t seem to make his mouth work. When it became clear he was not going to say anything, Lance’s eyes grew wet and he cried, “I’m so sorry.”

Keith was out of his chair like a snapped rubber band, moving into Lance’s space quickly, to wrap the Omega in a hug.

Everyone in the room paused, concerned.

“Why are you sorry?” Keith asked, his face pressed to Lance’s neck, one hand tangling in chocolatey hair.

Lance released a wet gasp, his shoulders shaking, “I didn’t mean- this is so, ugh!” Keith could feel wetness against his own face, Lance’s tears running into his hair.

Keith squeezed him, “Lance, we’re gonna have a baby.”

Lance pulled back, making eye contact, “You’re not mad?” He sniffled, and Keith realized that he probably should have thought Lance looked gross, all snotty and puffy eyed, but he just looked beautiful and inviting and Keith wanted to wrap him up and keep him forever.

_Ugh, sap._

“Why would I be mad?” He used his fingers to wipe away Lance’s tears and snot. “I mean, the timing could be better but nobody is ever fully prepared to have a baby. Plus, you’ll be such a good mom.”

Lance visibly relaxed but his eyes filled with tears again. Keith looked around alarmed and Coran quickly handed him a square of soft cloth, which he used to mop up the mess.

“Can we be excited yet?” Pidge asked, looking around at everyone. 

Lance laughed wetly but nodded his head, and everyone exploded in noise.

Hunk pulled Lance into a hug, already listing off all the food he was going to make, apparently he had lots of experience with morning sickness from his brother’s pregnancy and knew all the best meals. 

Keith even managed to stay relaxed when Shiro rubbed his face against the top of Lance’s head, scenting him aggressively. He understood the feeling. A pregnant Omega inspired a lot of weird instincts in Alphas. 

Keith looked around the room. Pidge and Coran were discussing the different ways of managing male Omega births and Lance was sitting with Allura, her arm draped over his shoulder as they discussed options for the Blue Lion and who would pilot it. Shiro was leaning over the couch, making suggestions. 

His pack.

An odd though, but a pleasant one. 

And soon, it would be one larger. 

Weird.

**Author's Note:**

> [come say hi to me on my tumblr :)](http://thinkpinkwrites.tumblr.com)


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